Large-scale data processing systems such as 2200 Series data processing systems commercially available from Unisys Corporation have historically required human intervention to oversee day-to-day operations. Human interaction is provided through the use of an operator interface, which may include an operations server and console. The operations server is coupled to one or more data processing systems to provide a single point of control for monitoring those systems. Typical operations consoles include a data entry device such as a keyboard and/or a mouse. A display monitor is also provided to display status information pertaining to the monitored data processing systems.
As discussed above, a single operations console may be monitoring one or more data processing systems. The operations console supports tasks such as booting, configuring, scheduling jobs, managing files, and responding to exceptions, for the various systems that are being monitored. One of the major tasks of an operations console involves providing the operator with useful system status. If a single operations console is monitoring many data processing systems, this status must be provided in an organized manner that allows the operator to readily recognize the existence and location of a problem.
Many prior art systems provide status information on a summary display screen. This type of screen summarizes the various problems that may exist in the systems that are being monitored. More detailed information can be obtained by viewing additional display screens. One problem with these prior art systems, however, is that the summary information is not ascertainable when the operator is located any distance from the console. When an operations console is monitoring one or more systems that are located within a large room, the operator may often be attending to matters across the room. In this case, the operator must periodically discontinue a task to consult the operations console to determine whether any addition status information has recently been provided by any of the monitored systems.
Some prior art systems attempt to make the operation console more user-friendly by employing a symbol or message that is sized to be visible by an operator located some distance from the console. This symbol or message alerts the operator to the existence of new information. When this symbol or message is displayed, the operator knows to consult the operations console for more details. Because the operations console generates the same symbol or message for all newly received system status, the operator may discontinue a task only to find that the received status is purely informational and did not necessitate any response. The operator is therefore unnecessarily interrupted whenever the operation console receives any new status, regardless of the importance of the new data.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved system and method for reporting status in an environment wherein one or more systems are managed by an operations console.